HotCheeks
by EarlyMorningWriter
Summary: How Kat Nolan got her call sign.


Kat slumped into her bunk, too hot and sweaty to even make a plan for the next hour or so. Sunshine had finally gotten his precious Seahawk last week after months of squawking about it. But instead of being totally thrilled he'd started in on its condition. She'd spent the last six hours bent over a utility sink disassembling, scrubbing, and reassembling greasy parts. Why she had to clean the old oil off only to apply more was a mystery to her. But, if he said that was what she needed to do, that was what she would do because her only hope of being let into pilot school was this guy.

In her front pocket her phone buzzed. She brushed her fingers over her grubby coverall leg before sticking them in her pocket to pull it out. It was probably Dylan asking why she wasn't in the gym already. As if she had the energy. But even so, she ought to turn the sound off before it woke up Jessie, the one of her four roomates that generally had the same schedule as her. Even after almost a year together she hadn't figured out how the woman went to sleep before Kat even made it back from the helo bay.

"Hey JellyBelly." She silenced a surprised giggle before she began tapping away with her thumbs.

"JellyBelly? Try again." She huffed out a breath. At first the call sign suggestions had made some kind of sense. Although she'd rejected WildKat, CrazyKat, FastKat, SlowKat, and a million other variations on her name she'd understood how they were derived. But now they were getting ridiculous. Still, she didn't know what else to talk to him about so she just kept encouraging him to make new suggestions so that he'd keep texting her. Maybe one of thse days she'd figure out how not to be so tongue tied.

"Really? I thought it was perfect because you're so sweet." She groaned and covered her eyes with one arm. It was ridiculous really. She was a fucking mechanic for crying out load. She was around men all day long so this sort of thing shouldn't phase her at all. But somehow Ray was different.

"I'm not sweet right now, believe me. I am sweaty and cranky and hankering for a sugary snack but I suspect the closest I'm going to get is Bacon's rice pudding. Which is alright, don't get me wrong, but I really could just go for a Mars bar right now."

Three dots flashed for just a second before he replied. "What's a Mars bar?"

"It's sort of like a Snickers, but they stopped making them when we were like 4 years old. My Dad brought me one from Europe once and it was heavenly. And thinking about it makes me want to cry." She sighed and sat up, tossing the phone on the bed. This was stupid. She should be in the shower and then making preparations for her expected shore leave tomorrow, not flirting with someone out of her league and off limits to boot. They were approaching Greece and it was her turn for shore rotation, if they got any. After the rioting in Spain people were placing bets as to whether Slattery would let them have leave. But, she needed off this boat, even if it was just a half hour stroll to the end of the pier and back. She needed to wear civilian clothes and smile and wave at a few local boys. She needed a reminder that Ray Diaz was not the only fish in the sea.

She started to gather her shower items. After the shower maybe she'd have the energy to organize a knapsack so she could take full advantage of whatever leave she got. She was about to exit her room when she saw the little green light flashing at the corner of the phone. She was thinking to herself "Just ignore it and get on with your day." even as her fingers swiped over the unlock button.

"Please don't cry. I have a Snickers bar. It could the the last Snickers on Earth. But I'll share it with you. I didn't mean to make you cry."

Shit. She was going to have to reply to that. She tiptoed out into the p-way, careful to shut the door softly. "Alright. When I can't resist any longer I'll find you and you can give it to me." Her thumbs flew over the letters and then she held her thumb on the screen to keep it active as she navigated the maze of compartments between her room and the women's bathroom.

"I have been waiting for you to say that for a long time." It took a moment for her brain to register that the there was no message on the screen. She looked up into warm brown eyes.

"Ah.." Flustered, she stepped backwards and promptly tripped on a knee knocker.

"Whoa there!" Ray reached out to pull her up but her hands were full of her now empty shower caddy, towel, and change of clothes, minus her neon pink panties that had somehow ended up on his shoulder.

She scrambled to her feet and reached for the clothing but he was too fast. "I don't think these are regulation Nolan." He held them up, eyes sparkling.

"Give them back." She held out a hand expectantly.

A teasing smirk bloomed on his lips as he shook his head and then tucked them in his chest pocket. He leaned against the bulkhead crossing his arms over his chest. "I tell you what, meet me tomorrow for a picnic and I'll not only give them back, I'll share my Snickers with you."

She scowled. Honestly, if he'd asked half an hour ago she would have agreed. Now there was a total air of a date or something to it and it felt funny. She scrambled for a way to say no, even though a part of her desperately wanted to say yes. It was the same part of her that shuddered a little seeing his tan fingers crumple her panties into his pocket. "Can't. I'm not going to be on the leave list. Sunshine needs me here." It was a total lie but the best she could come up with. "We still haven't broken down the exhaust system yet and then there's the rotor balancing to do and.."

One dark brow arched in challenge. "Liar."

It was a fight not to meet his expression with a smile of her own but she won it, forcing her eyes wide. "Seriously. And I need those back. I'm headed for a shower and then I have a shit-ton of stuff to do."

"Go without." He winked. "No one can tell and you deserve a little thrill."

"Ray!" she hissed as she glanced frantically behind to make sure no one was around. "Seriously. I can't walk around the ship wearing yoga pants without panties. People will be able to tell!"

He leaned forward and craned his neck as if trying to see her ass. "You could pull it off." But he sighed and tossed them back to her. "But if you insist, HotCheeks. I'll see you on the pier. 1300 sharp tomorrow." With that he pushed away from the wall and strolled the other direction, leaving her standing in the p-way, mouth open, wondering what had just happened.


End file.
